Cwmbran dancers head for the West-end

A CWMBRAN dance school are getting ready to go to London and perform on a West End stage.

The Starlight Youth Dance Academy was contacted by production team The Bobby Dazzlers, after they saw a video of a competition routine by the Cwmbran dancers online.

Dance teacher and owner, principal Sam, said: “We did a competition last July where the girls won lots of categories and we just got asked from there.”

The variety show takes place at Her Majesty’s Theatre, home to The Phantom of the Opera, in London on February 9.

Principal Sam, who started the school eight years ago and said: “It’s an amazing opportunity for them. Not many people get to do this. They are all working really hard.

“All their family and friends are coming up with us and making a weekend out of it.”

In total, 24 dancers from age five to 21 will be heading to London. The group will perform a routine from the musical Cats and a second contemporary dance, combining lyrical and ballet styles, choreographed by the principal.

The dancers have been practising up to four times a week.

“They are fantastic, dedicated girls,” said Shelley Beddington-Price, who works at the school.

The school, who have previously performed in the Owen Money pantomimes in the Congress Theatre, rehearse at the football factory in Cwmbran. They are now fundraising and looking for sponsorship for costumes and uniforms for the London show.